Equifax says executives who sold stock were unaware of massive security breach

by Associated Press

This July 21, 2012, photo shows Equifax Inc., offices in Atlanta. Credit monitoring company Equifax says a breach exposed social security numbers and other data from about 143 million Americans. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

On Thursday, the company disclosed a cyberattack that ran from mid-May to July. The attack exposed the Social Security numbers and other sensitive information of about 143 million Americans. Equifax said it detected the hack on July 29.

The stock sales were executed on Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 by Chief Financial Officer John Gamble and two other executives, Rodolfo Ploder and Joseph Loughran. Equifax said it discovered the hack on July 29. Bloomberg News first reported the divestitures.

The sales effectively insulated the executives from a downturn in Equifax's stock Thursday. The stock dropped 13 percent in extended trading after the announcement of the breach.